The Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser are both regarded as extremely capable off-road vehicles that have exemplary reliability, but when it comes to a head-to-head comparison, which one is better? That question is answered in Carwow’s latest video, which pits the two against each other in a series of off-road tests.
Before the competition begins, it’s important to consider these vehicles’ specs. First up is the Land Cruiser. The one in the video is a Commercial Edition, which means it comes with steel wheels, only two doors, a manual transmission, and pretty much nothing else that isn’t absolutely necessary, including rear seats. Its 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine makes 201 hp (204 PS / 150 kW) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque. As for the Hilux, it’s an Invincible X model, and is powered by the same engine with an identical power figure but an uprated torque of 369 lb-ft (500 Nm).
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The first off-road test is an uphill drag race. On paper, the Hilux should win because of its higher torque and quicker-shifting transmission, however the exact opposite happens as the Land Cruiser breezes right by it to finish right ahead of its front bumper. The next test is the opposite: a downhill descent control test where the last finisher wins. The Hilux should have the advantage again as it has a proper hill descent mode, and unsurprisingly, it ends up winning by a wide margin.
At this point, the two off-roaders are tied going into the third test: a timed trail navigation test where the quickest finisher wins. The Land Cruiser clocked a time of 21.63 seconds, while the Hilux achieved a 23.40, making the Land Cruiser the winner. After that is an articulation test, one that the Hilux won handily thanks to its longer wheelbase and locking rear differential.
The fifth test is designed to test both the vehicles’ rollover and breakover angles at the same time, and the Hilux won again in both trials. The sixth and final test is a simple climb up a steep, loose-terrain hill, and it saw the Land Cruiser win on account of a more effortless ascent. In the end, the two off-roaders actually tied, but to watch the trials and decide a winner yourself, you can check out the video below.